Hi, Nice to Meet You -TAMAKI SIDE-
by AniManGa19930
Summary: AU. One day, Tamaki heard a voice.


**Unbeta-ed and contain ooc-ness.**

 **Standard disclaimer: IDOLiSH7 doesn't belong to me.**

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The first time they made a contact, Tamaki was in fourth grade. The little boy was about to follow his sister into a deep slumber when he heard a cry.

[Riku, hang in there!]

It was painful that Tamaki couldn't ignore it and immediately awoke, searching for the voice. When he found there was no one beside his sister, the boy returned to his bed while curling up in his blanket.

Tamaki could never sleep with the lights off ever since that night.

He didn't always hear the voices, but when he did, it was always crying for the one called "Riku". After some time, Tamaki began to get worried instead. So one night, he braced himself to reach out.

(Who are you? What happened to Riku?)

The cry stopped for a while and Tamaki began to tremble again. Maybe it was a bad choice to reply. Maybe it was truly a ghost and now the ghost would come for him since he had made a contact. But he was a strong boy! He is a strong big brother, who doesn't have any fear and would protect Aya from everything, so he wouldn't be afraid of a single ghost. Timidly he again asked in his mind.

(Who are you? Why are you always crying?)

This time, he could properly hear a reply, [Who are you? Why can you talk to me?]

Apparently the voice belonged to another kid named Tenn, or as Tamaki nicknamed him, Tenten. Tenten has a twin brother he has been taking care of. Sometimes his brother's illness would get worse, often during late at night, and Tenten would pray to the God to ease his brother's pain. Those times which sometimes would connect with Tamaki's mind. Even though he was still young, Tamaki understood how the other boy's feel a little. He also has Aya whom he had swore to protect though fortunately Aya has always been healthy. The thought of Aya getting sick scared him a little that he'd crawled out of his bed and checked on his sister when Tenten told his story.

[I see. Then, we're kindred spirit, aren't we?] was what Tenten said when he told him about Aya.

It was a word he had never heard before, even though Tamaki had been submitted to school after Aya and he were adopted and he has Iorin, his very smart friend. (Kin… what?)

[Kindred spirit. I read that it means we're about the same kind. Maybe that's why we can talk like this.]

Tamaki still couldn't really understand what Tenten meant, but he knew that Tenten was considering him as a friend and no longer a stranger.

The two would sometimes talk, telling their stories, but nothing private. The two kids couldn't understand why the two of them could talk through their minds. Tamaki didn't know where Tenten lives and so did Tenten. All Tamaki knew was Tenten's voice was gentle, especially when he talks about Rikkun, a nickname which he had attached to Tenten's brother. Though sometimes, the other boy would sound strained, as if he was holding back his own tears when there were nights were Rikkun was staying at the hospital and Tenten was left to take care of his home with his father.

Tamaki didn't mind to listen to Tenten all night long but Tenten always reprimanded him not to stay up late and be late for school tomorrow.

[You're a big brother too, right, Tamaki?]

Tamaki would pout, although Tenten definitely couldn't see it, (Tenten, you sound like So-chan sometimes.)

[So-chan?]

(The one who is taking care of me and Aya now.)

[I see. Then you should listen to that So-chan and sleep. Let's talk again later.]

(If only we can talk like this in the mornings too…)

[... That's true. That'd be nice. Good night, Tamaki.]

(Un. Good night, Tenten.)

For some reason, they could only trigger their mind conversation during nights. At least it was no longer sudden connection late at night like before, now they could activate their telepathy by calling each other. Often times, Tamaki wondered if he needs to tell So-chan about Tenten, but So-chan is a worrywart and he didn't want him to make a big fuss especially when he was already tired from work.

It was when he graduated from Elementary school. Amidst his joy and excitement to be able to grow older, he suddenly connected with Tenten, even though the sun hasn't set yet.

[Congratulations, Tamaki.]

(EH? Tenten?!)

[I can hear you "I wish I could tell to Tenten soon" clearly. Once again, congratulation. But, could you stop with that Tenten? We're older already.]

('hanks! Hehe! Why? It's cute. It suits Tenten.)

[Even though you have never even seen me?]

(I have a feeling you would be cute!)

[I'll be taking it as a compliment. Thank you. Are you having a party?]

(Un! It's amazing! So-chan planned it with Aya and Yama-san. Iorin is here too, and then Mikki brought the cake. It's very big! Feels like I'm having another birthday.]

Tenten chuckled at his excitement. [That sounds nice.]

(You bet! Yama-san bought tons of King Pudding! I'll share some of them with Aya and So-chan! Are you at school, Tenten?)

[Yes, we're on lunch right now.]

(With Rikkun?)

[Yes, Riku is with me.]

(That's good!) Even though they couldn't see each other, Tamaki was confident that Tenten was smiling right now.

[So, which middle school are you going to?]

(Unn… So-chan said...)

"Tama! Why are you spacing out? If you don't eat it quickly, Onii-san will take it."

"AH! YAMA-SAN, THAT'S MY CAKE!"

That day, they found out that their telepathy took their focus and when they do they'd hardly recognized what was happening around them. Tenten told him they better to keep it like before and only talked during night, but sometimes Tamaki couldn't help it and still talked to him during the day as well.

It occurred more often nowadays that Yama-san, So-chan's lover who now they lived together with, and Iorin, his childhood friend were starting to take a notice. He had told Aya about Tenten when they were children but he always forgot to tell Iorin. So one night when Yama-san called him to have a talk and mentioned about Iorin, he knew that he finally need to tell them about Tenten.

Unlike Aya, Yama-san and So-chan, even Iorin looked at him in disbelief at first. Even Iorin was telling him about how careless he was not to ever tell the adults until now. Although Yama-san told him that he believes in Tenten, the man also scolded him to always tell such thing immediately. Tamaki pouted a little but felt a little guilt when he saw the worry in So-chan's face.

After everything sinking in, Iorin finally asked him, "why the two of you never promise to meet each other?"

Tamaki tried to recall. It has been five years and indeed in those five years, neither Tenten or he ever asked about each other's location or promised to meet each other. Tamaki hummed a little then bit on the spoon of his King Pudding before answering his friend, "It's okay. We'll meet when we will."

Iorin made a face, almost a displeased one, "what's that supposed to mean?"

"I'll introduce both of you when we do. Iorin and Tenten are alike after all!"

"And that's why I said, what's that supposed to mean?"

When they were in third year of middle school, their conversation frequence increased. Their talk grew from the usual diary of the day to mundane ones, such as when he had a banter with Iorin, he would yell inside his mind, (Tenten! Iorin is bullying me!) and Tenten would reply playfully [There, there.]. Or when Yama-san took his share of King Pudding, he would pout and told Tenten about what the older man did, or Yama-san would immediately follow with, "Hey, hey, stop talking bad about Onii-san with your friend there," before he said anything to Tenten. So-chan had asked him to ask Tenten how he looks so they'd be able to find him but Tamaki would immediately said he didn't need to.

That day, he was coming home late from school with Iorin due to supplementary lesson and met with Yama-san on the way. Tamaki demanded for the older man to buy him some King Pudding since the man ate one of his two days ago. They were already in front of the mart, so Yama-san shrugged and even offered to buy some for Iorin which the younger man politely refused, however Tamaki was already dragging his friend inside in a dash the moment Yama-san said "yes" to his demand. Behind him, Iorin could hear faintly Yama-san shouting, "don't buy too much or Sou will get angry at me", which of course fell to deaf ears.

Tamaki was on his 10 cups inside his basket when a voice called out to him.

"Excuse me, before you take everything, may I have two cups?"

A voice he knew too well that he couldn't help but immediately shout out, "TENTEN?!"

"Eh? Tenn-nii? Your friend?"

Two identical faces were right in front of him, however before the red-haired one mentioned the name, Tamaki instantly recognized the other, the one with white-haired and a longer bangs on the right side.

Tenten, or Tenn was the same as how he imagined him. The boy has a gentle face, like his voice.

"I thought I told you to stop calling me Tenten, Tamaki."

"Hehe. It's fine. It suits you."

Half year in third grade of middle school, Yotsuba Tamaki finally met Nanase Tenn physically.


End file.
